Of Life and Art
by merrawolf
Summary: The infamous pair, Deidara and Tobi are sent on a mission to capture a Jinchuriki of the Hidden Stone Village. However, misfortune falls upon them and Deidara's shrouded past is uncovered...
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: As usual, I must post this…I guess. I do not own Naruto. Thank you for reading this pointless message which has wasted a minute or so of your life.**

**Merrawolf  
**

* * *

He hated that Itachi. 

It was a stone-carved fact. Ever since he had defeated him in combat and forced him to join the Akatsuki, his life had turned upside-down. Deidara didn't like to think much about the incident. Whenever he saw Itachi though, he felt hot anger and hatred arouse in him although it did not show on his face.

And now, as he flew over the Earth Country on one of his stone birds, the memory hit him full force. Deidara recognized this place. It was the spot where Itachi had defeated him…

"Deidara-sempai!" A hyperactive voice came from behind. Deidara silently groaned. He had forgotten that Tobi was riding with him. "You're going the wrong way, Deidara-sempai!"

"What, un?" The blonde ninja looked down and silently cursed himself. He had been so caught up in his own thoughts that he went the wrong way! "Why didn't you tell me, Tobi? If I was going the wrong way then…Tobi?"

"Zzz…" Tobi had fallen asleep, using Deidara's back as a pillow.

Deidara glared at his partner. His hand instinctively reached for his explosives but he stopped himself. Geez, the happy-go-lucky man was getting on his nerves. He steered the clay bird back onto the right trail. Deidara didn't have time to deal with Tobi's childish acts. "Tobi, wake up, un." Tobi continued to snore. Deidara sighed. This was going to be a long day…

Iwagakure at winter was not a pleasant place. Though no snow fell, harsh winds battered the stony land and temperatures dropped rapidly. Deidara landed the giant clay bird in an open, rocky field. Grass was a rare sight in this land: he was surprised that there was a small growth among the rocks. Tobi had woken up, jostled from the landing.

"Deidara-sempai," Tobi yawned. "What happened?"

"You fell asleep." Deidara answered. Tobi responded with some statement but the former Iwagakure ninja's mind was wandering. There were so many memories here…unwanted emotions…that just made the job harder. Screw it!

"Deidara-sempai!" Tobi tugged on his partner's sleeve. "What are you doing?"

"What, un?" Deidara shrugged off Tobi's grasp. Realizing he must've spaced out, Deidara added, "I was thinking about the plan. Let's go Tobi."

Tobi watched as his partner jumped back onto the clay bird's back. This wasn't like Deidara at all… "Why did we stop here then, Deidara-sempai?"

The blonde only shrugged. "C'mon, Tobi, we don't have much time, un. Get back on here." Tobi slowly seated himself on the clay bird's smooth back. In a minute they were a speck in the air, flying into the dark, winter sky.

* * *

"E3." 

The boy slammed his fist on the table, making the flimsy furniture shudder. "Are you cheating, Sukai?" He was rather strange to look at. The boy wore a long, black overcoat that was obviously too large for him. The boy's slim arms didn't even fit halfway through the leather sleeve. His bright, dark-blue eyes glowed with an inner fire and black bangs covered his face. He was known as Yakitori.

Sukai, the girl Yakitori was referring to, was a complete opposite of Yakitori. Her emotionless, pale eyes seemed to drill into a person's soul. She wore a rather graceful looking kimono that rippled as she slightly moved. Her snow-white hair was tied back into a tight ponytail. Sukai shrugged. "Maybe you just suck at Battleships."

"But still!" Yakitori pouted. "I've only sunk one of your ships and you already sunk five of mine!"

"Then you really suck." Sukai paused and held up a mirror that was beside her. She gazed deep into it, her eyes drilling into her reflection. Slowly, her reflection faded away into a different scene, showing two certain Akatsuki members. "Ah, Yakitori, our guests are here."

The boy stopped complaining and suddenly became interested. "Can I go on this mission this time, Sukai? I mean, you guys never let me do anything else besides spying…"

"No," Sukai slightly grinned. "I'll be taking Usagi with me."

Yakitori shook his head in disbelief. "Sukai, you know Usagi doesn't like to fight! She's a healer! I should go!"

"Healer or not, she's coming with me." The girl stood up and brushed some invisible dust off her kimono. "If you're bored, go play with Keiji. Besides," Her grin widened. "They're coming for me." She picked up the mirror and tucked it inside her kimono. Yakitori rolled his eyes.

"You don't need to showoff."

"Who says I am?"

* * *

"Deidara-sempai!" 

"What, un?" Deidara snapped. Tobi was getting on his last nerve. It was bad enough that he had to deal with all his emotions and Tobi wasn't helping.

Tobi waved his hands wildly. "Dive, Deidara-sempai! Dive!"

"What the heck do you mean by-"

Before Deidara could finish his sentence, Tobi knocked Deidara down. A kunai whistled above them, barely scraping their heads. Tobi quickly got off of Deidara and shouted, "Over there, Deidara-sempai! Over there!"

There was no need to tell the blonde that. He had already seen the enemy. Deidara's hand was already ready with the clay. The hand's mouth burped out a piece of soft clay. Deidara slowly molded it, his eyes on the approaching danger. Tobi was watching with keen interest, kunai in hand. Deidara's mind raced with questions. Who were they? Was it possible that they were the Stone shinobi? No, as far as Deidara could remember, none of them had anything to fly on.

The enemy, or rather, enemies, as Deidara saw now, was two girls, about the same age as him. They were riding on a giant cloud. One of the girls he recognized and the sight of her almost knocked him off the clay bird.

"Deidara-sempai!" Tobi steadied his partner. "What's wrong?"

"Surprised, Deidara-sama?" one of the girls slowly spoke, her voice dripping with malice. "I thought you'd forget about me after you ran off to join the Akatsuki." Tobi studied her, questions forming in his mind. She was obviously a rogue ninja. Her forehead protector was nowhere to be seen. The girl's pale eyes drilled into Deidara's bluish-green ones, staring into his soul.

However, the girl's partner seemed much more timid. She nervously twisted her thin hands together and her wide, light brown eyes darted here and there. She didn't seem much of a threat.

"I'm fine Tobi, un." Deidara stood up and tried to erase his raging emotions. He failed.

"You've come for me, hmm?" The bold girl continued. "You're after my demon, aren't you, Deidara-sama?"

Tobi watched the scene, feeling lost and confused. The girl knew Deidara-sempai? What was going on? "Who are you?" Tobi demanded and raised his kunai.

The girl glared at him. "I am Sukai, from the Juunikyuu. And from what I've heard, you're Tobi. The goofy one…" She shifted her attention back to Deidara. "Well, Deidara-sama, are you going to get on with it? Or are you too moved to speak?"

"The Juunikyuu?" Tobi repeated the words. "What is that?"

Deidara seemed to snap out of his strange shock. "The Juunikyuu, the Zodiac, is an organization…headed by twelve other ninjas, un."

"You still remember?" Sukai took out a strange, silver mirror and tilted it so it caught the dim sunlight. "I'm impressed, Deidara-sama. You talk too much though. It isn't like you at all…brother."

_Brother?!_ Tobi jumped at her last sentence. "Deidara-sempai! What's going on?"

Deidara clenched his fists in helplessness. Why was this so difficult? She was just another person, nothing more… "It's nothing Tobi." Deidara's voice was smooth…much too smooth. "Let's do what we do best, un?" Tobi uncertainty nodded. Deidara grinned and threw some miniscule clay ants onto the cloud. Before the two kunoichi could react, Deidara flew the bird up higher and clasped his hands together in the familiar hand seal. "_Katsu_!"

The huge explosion enveloped the cloud, blinding the two Akatsuki members for a second. When it died down, their enemies were nowhere to be seen. Tobi felt a dark shadow fall over them and shouted, "Above! They're above, Deidara-sempai!"

Deidara quickly moved the bird away from the shadow and a huge meteor fell where they were a second ago. Close, much too close.

"Are we going to play games, Deidara-sama?" Sukai's cold voice echoed from above. "Or are you going to end this quickly? I know you can do better."

Deidara thrust his hand back into his bag of clay and quickly flew off. Sukai and her partner were in hot pursuit, chasing the clay bird. "Tobi! Distract them!" Deidara ordered. Damn, this was going to take a while…

Tobi nodded and, lightning fast, his hands formed the hand seals. "_Suiton: __Suiryūdan no Jutsu_! Water Release: Water Dragon Blast Technique!" A huge, roaring wave rose from nowhere, twisting as it formed into a lithe dragon, its glowing golden eyes fixed upon its target. With deadly precision and speed, it attacked the kunoichi, the sheer force flattening the trees below. When Tobi glanced back, he was rather surprised. They were still there, following them. "Deidara-sempai, I don't think they're going to give up easily!"

"Hold them for a few more minutes, un." Deidara muttered. "I'm almost done." The hand at last spat out a huge piece of clay. As quickly and carefully as he could, he began to mold the clay.

Tobi used his justu again, only to see it deflected by the strange mirror. "Deidara-sempai!"

"I'm done!" Deidara snapped. He passed the finished sculpture to Tobi. His partner looked at him in question. "You'll need to get close to them for me." Deidara explained. "Slip it into that cloud and get out of there as quick as you can. I'll cover you, un."

Tobi stared at the clay sculpture. It was shaped like a tiny turtle. A turtle? He had never seen this sculpture before…it was hard to believe that this tiny thing could stop, much less harm, their pursuers.

"Tobi, did you hear me?" Deidara demanded. "We have to get them off our trail as fast as we can, then strike. Whatever you do, don't look into her mirror! Understand, Tobi, un?"

"Yes, Deidara-sempai." Tobi nodded. Deidara acknowledged his answer with a nod. Tobi leaped down into the trees, and Deidara took a deep breath. He suddenly increased his speed and flew lower, forcing the two to follow. As he wove through the branches, Deidara glanced back. So far, they were acting like he predicted…

Deidara opened his hand and released the mini army of clay birds. They fluttered over to his enemies and he formed the hand seal once more. "_Katsu_!" Several small explosions detonated but most, as Deidara grimly noted, were blocked by some strange chakra field. He could only hope that his plan would work…Deidara quickly retrieved more clay and formed several more birds. He glanced down and saw a flash of orange. Great, Tobi was keeping up. Deidara released the birds once more. "_Katsu_!" As usual, the bombs were blocked, but they served a different purpose. He had slightly tinkered with them so they would give off more smoke to obscure their vision… "Now, Tobi!" Deidara shouted.

Out from the trees, Tobi jumped seemingly out of nowhere and stuffed the clay turtle into the cloud and fell back. He landed on a nearby branch and watched as the chase continued. Deidara-sempai was leading them farther and farther away…what the heck was his plan? He could no longer see the two and Tobi began to worry. Maybe he should go back up Deidara-sempai…

A loud explosion, rising up like a mushroom, almost blew Tobi off his feet. Heavy, thick smoke filled the air and several trees caught on fire. "Deidara-sempai!" Tobi shouted. He began to jump toward the source of the explosion, searching for his partner. "Deidara-sempai!"

"I'm right here, Tobi. No need to shout, un."

Tobi looked up and was filled with relief. Deidara was on another clay bird, high in the air. "Deidara-sempai! What happened to the girl we were supposed to catch though?"

"She's right here." Deidara motioned to the bird's tail. Wrapped in its large clay feathers was Sukai. "Let's go now Tobi, un. We've done our job here." Tobi followed Deidara, glad that his partner was all right. Something bugged him though. The girl…she called Deidara-sempai 'brother'…what did that mean?

* * *

End of Part One


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.  
****Note: I am NOT trying to make a relationship with Tobi or Deidara with anyone.  
****Merrawolf

* * *

**

"They fell for it." Usagi, Sukai's partner, whispered to herself. "They actually fell for it…"

She was secretly following the two Akatsuki members, her hands locked in a hand seal. Didn't those Akatsuki know the difference between a clone and a real person? Usagi released her hand seal and continued to follow, her eyes focused on the clay bird above. She hated to fight. She was a healer, not a fighter. Why did Sukai drag her into this mess anyway?

She picked up a faint trill from the bushes. The signal. Usagi stopped and stood there, watching the bird. In a moment, she knew, it would release poisonous gases and explode…

The bird burst into pieces and a dark purple smog obscured the air around it. Usagi saw two bodies fall. She felt her heart wince as she heard a loud crash. She hated it when she saw people get hurt…

"Usagi!" Usagi looked up and saw Sukai on her cloud, looking smug. "It's time to go back!"

The medical nin shook her head. Why was Sukai so happy that she had killed her own brother? "No, I'll stay here for a while. I-I need to go gather some herbs."

Sukai studied her friend closely before nodding. "Be quick about it then. Hiroshima has arranged a meeting tonight. You know how touchy he is if you're late."

"Understood." Usagi whispered and Sukai flew off.

* * *

"_You're wasting your time with those clay sculptures, Deidara." His father grumbled. "Try something useful for once instead of…art. If you want to be a ninja then do something manly. If you wanted to be an artists we didn't need to pay you to go to the Academy."_

_The ten year old Deidara ignored his father's harsh comments and continued to sculpt, his fingers gracefully, skillfully, molding the clay into beautiful works._

"_Deidara, did you hear me?" His father snapped. Deidara reluctantly looked up._

"_Yes, father." Deidara muttered and returned to his sculpting. Suddenly he was slapped on the face. The sheer force of the slap knocked him off his stool, sending him crashing into the floor._

"_You have a real attitude problem, Deidara!" His father roared. "All you do is stay in your room, molding those…toys. It's time you go out there and get some real knowledge of the ninja world! We didn't waste our inheritance to bear up some…weakling!"_

_Deidara's anger mounted inside of him, yet it did not show on his face. He simply turned away, staring at his shelves which were filled with countless clay sculptures. His father stomped off, leaving Deidara to his own world…_

* * *

"Deidara-sempai! Wake up, Deidara-sempai!"

Deidara groggily awoke, his head throbbing like mad. The first thing he saw was Tobi's familiar orange spiral mask staring at him. Deidara weakly sat up. "Tobi? What happened, un?"

"The girl, Deidara-sempai! It was a clone! Tobi saved you."

Deidara silently cursed himself. He could've figured that out. Why was he so careless? He attempted to stand but failed miserably. Deidara lay back down on the grass, his eyes closed from the sudden pain. "Tobi…how are we in a forest?" It seemed strange to him that he didn't think of the question before. After all, there was almost no plant life in the Earth country…

Tobi didn't answer for a moment. "I think they chased us to the borders, Deidara-sempai." Deidara forced himself to open his eyes again and to sit up. It required tremendous effort. "Deidara-sempai, why did that girl call you 'brother'?"

Questions, so many freaking questions running through his head, worsening the pain…Deidara just wanted to go back to sleep… "I'll tell you later, Tobi, un." He mumbled. He was starting to feel faint…was it because of that poison gas? Of course it was, he silently raged against his stupidity. What do you think?

"Deidara-sempai, are…are you okay?" Tobi drew near, his voice full of concern.

"I'm fine, un." Deidara coughed. "I just need to rest a moment."

Tobi lapsed into an uncharacteristic silence, only interrupted by Deidara's ever worsening cough. Tobi's eyes widened as he saw a single red speck fly out of nowhere and land on his robe. Blood.

* * *

Poison… 

It was the deadly type, the one that made the victim cough his lungs out. Usagi was extremely nervous, rubbing her hands together like mad. It wasn't for show; it was merely a bad habit leftover from her childhood. For sure, that blonde Akatsuki member was going to die…

Why did she care about them anyway? There was a stupid explanation: she cared because she was a healer. Friend or foe, Usagi felt the need to heal others, to cure them of whatever plagued them. After all, isn't that what medical nins do? Heal others?

She had to make up her mind quick. If she went out there, she might be attacked. Then again, if she didn't, there was a large chance of that Akatsuki member dying. Now that would be a huge black mark on her conscious. Usagi timidly made up her mind and slowly took a step out of the trees.

* * *

The snap of a twig caught Tobi's attention. He jumped up, kunai in hand. The same girl who had been tagging along with Sukai was standing right in front of him, looking harmless and shy. She carried a large basket of herbs. "What do you want?" Tobi demanded. 

The girl flushed and muttered something inaudible. Tobi took a step forward. She took a step back. Words tumbled out of her mouth, stumbling over one another. "I-I want to help him." She whispered. Tobi eyed her suspiciously and raised his kunai higher. "N-no, don't hurt me! I-I don't like to fight." Her voice dropped to a whimper as she saw the gleaming blade. Tobi at last backed off when he heard Deidara-sempai's loud hack. More blood splattered onto the grass. The girl rushed over to the Akatsuki member's side and set down her basket. Tobi watched her warily, ready for any tricks she might pull. "It's bad." That was all she said. She turned to Tobi and quietly commanded, "Hold him down. I'll need to extract the poison myself." Tobi hesitated before doing what she asked. The girl nodded and closed her eyes in deep concentration. "_Kakusei no jutsu_. Purification Technique." Green chakra began to emit from her hands, washing away the toxins from Deidara's blood. Tobi held Deidara firmly down, making sure that he didn't move. At last when she was finished she opened her eyes, wiping the sweat off her brow. Deidara was unconscious, unaware of what had been going on. "I'm done." She panted. She seemed at the end of her limit. "Here," She gave Tobi some strange looking herbs. "Grind these into juice and give it to him when he awakens."

Tobi held the herbs with care and looked at the girl. "Who are you?"

She gave a tired smile. "A healer." Without another word she left, taking her basket with her.

* * *

"_Wow, Deidara-sama. I didn't know you could do that!" Deidara's sister gazed in awe at the explosions her brother had made. _

_Deidara simply shrugged. "It's art, un."_

_Sukai's eyes lit up. "I'll go tell Father…he'll be so pleased…"_

"_Don't!" Deidara grabbed her arm. "He doesn't appreciate my art…he calls them trash…if he finds out that I'm messing around with them he'll kill me for sure…"_

_Sukai seemed rather downcast. "I don't see why he'll be angry if you can do such amazing things with them."_

"_He expects too much of me, un." Deidara sighed. He opened his hands to release another clay bird. It circled around his sister before bursting into a harmless shower of sparks. "Just…don't tell him. You promise?"_

_Sukai reluctantly nodded. "I promise."

* * *

_

Deidara-sempai still hadn't woken up. Tobi had checked to make sure he was all right. He seemed fine: regular heartbeat, steady breathing. Soon he got bored watching Deidara. Coincidently, he had a die in one of his pocket. It was an old die, carved out of wood. Tobi couldn't remember where he had found it, but since he was bored, he decided to roll the die for the heck of it. Tobi found a nearby stump with a flat enough surface. Tobi shook the dice long and hard before letting it roll out of his grasp. A four. Tobi froze as he saw the unlucky number appear on the die. That can't be good. He scooped up the dice again and rolled once more. A four. He scooped up the dice once more and rolled it again and again…

Four, four, four, four…

What the heck? No matter how many times he rolled it, he got four. Tobi checked the dice. It was a normal dice. There was an equal chance to get a one or a two or some other number. Was someone playing a prank on him? Not possible. Tobi cautiously rolled the dice again. For a moment it titled toward three and Tobi sighed in relief. It landed on four. A huge gust of wind rushed past him, carrying an ominous air. Tobi ran over to Deidara and began to shake him. "Deidara-sempai! Wake up! Wake up!"

"Tobi? What the heck are you doing?!" Deidara was wide awake now and shook off Tobi's grasp. "What's wrong with you all of a sudden, un?"

"The dice!" Tobi shoved the dice into Deidara's hand. Deidara stared at it.

"You woke me up about…a dice. What's your problem, un?"

"Roll it, Deidara-sempai!" Deidara muttered something in audible but rolled the dice. It landed on four. "See, Deidara-sempai?"

Deidara rolled his eyes. "Look Tobi, it's just a coincidence…"

"No, it isn't! Roll it again!" Deidara rolled it once more. It landed on four. He rolled it once more. A four.

"Tobi, you shouldn't be superstitious." The artist began to lecture. "I mean, it's just a number. What can it possibly do, un?" He suddenly stopped and put his hand to his head. "Damn, my head hurts."

"Oh!" Tobi suddenly remembered the mysterious girl's instructions. He quickly got the herbal mixture and gave it to Deidara to drink. Deidara eyed the brownish mixture with great mistrust.

"What is this?"

"Medicine, Deidara-sempai."

Deidara took the steaming mixture and slowly drank it. It tasted…bittersweet, like dark chocolate. Chocolate. How did that pop into his head? How idiotic. Deidara's headache felt a bit better, the pain was still there but it was dulled. "Thanks Tobi, un."

Tobi happily nodded. "Deidara-sempai, can you answer my question?"

Deidara sipped his drink. "What question?"

"You know, why the girl called you 'brother'." Tobi anxiously waited. Deidara kept silent, his eyes fixed on the grass, at the scarlet blood that caked its green blades. His partner was not satisfied. "C'mon, Deidara-sempai, please tell Tobi? You promised Tobi you'd tell me…"

Deidara sighed. "I suppose I should, un? There's no getting out of it, I guess." He clutched the cup. A single, thin crack appeared. "Sit tight Tobi, it's a long story, un." Tobi nodded and sat criss-cross, looking like a little kid waiting for story time. Deidara sipped his drink and began his tale…

* * *

End of Part 2


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. Don't kill me saying that my version of Deidara's past is completely wrong. It just popped into my head and I thought it would make a nice plot. Hence this story. By the way, reviews would be nice…**

**Merrawolf

* * *

**

"Sukai is not really my blood sister," Deidara began. "We adopted her when I was five…"

"No wonder you two don't look alike." Tobi interrupted. Deidara shot him a dirty look. Tobi coughed in discomfort. "Sorry Deidara-sempai."

"As I was saying, we adopted her when I was five. She was about the same age as me, only a day younger. We got together well. After all, she was a fellow artist like me, un. My father…hated my art along with Sukai's…"

"What did Sukai make? What else-"

Deidara sighed. Tobi noticed that one of his hands was reaching for his clay. Tobi scooted away and shut up. "She made mirrors. Anyway, we went to the Academy together and did quite well, un. After we graduated, my father's expectations rose…" Tobi was itching to ask about Deidara's mother. Deidara must have noticed and added, "My mother…she taught me how to shape clay…but she passed away when I was four, un…" Tobi shifted uncomfortably. Deidara calmly went on. "As my father's expectations increased, he wanted us to leave our artistic abilities behind and to focus on more 'mature' things, such as battle tactics and the like." He paused to sip his drink. "Every time he passed the masterpieces we made he would explode with anger. I think…it was because they reminded him of my mother, un.

When we became Chunnin, I realized that she was a Jinchuriki. The demon, Naisei, was sealed inside her. I promised her I wouldn't tell anyone. For years no one knew. When we became Jounin, I left the village. They didn't appreciate my works of art, un. All they did was complain how I wasted my time. I went out as a terrorist bomber, working for anyone for some money. I did my job really well…too well, un." Deidara thoughtfully gazed at the sky.

Tobi was a bit confused. "What do you mean, Deidara-sempai?"

"My work attracted the attention of a certain man…the Leader. He wanted me to join the Akatsuki and sent almost all the members to try and recruit me." Deidara's tone grew bitter as he continued. "Of course I didn't want to join, un. If I did then that meant I would have to turn in my sister." Tobi nodded, waiting for him to go on. "I refused, again and again until he sent Itachi." Deidara's grip on his cup tightened. The crack grew wider. "He defeated me and…forced me to join." Tobi tried to seem sympathetic by nodding. "After that, Sukai thought I had turned against her and developed a deep hatred for me." Deidara stared into his cup.

Tobi took the opportunity to ask a question. "How did you know about the Juunikyuu?"

"I used to be part of the organization."

"Oh." Uneasy silence enveloped the two. Tobi broke the stillness with a cheerful remark. "Well then, Deidara-sempai, shouldn't we get moving and catch your…sister? After all, the Leader gets pissed when we take too long, right? And we've rested long enough…"

Deidara's lips twitched. "I guess so, un. Let's go, Tobi."

* * *

Usagi carefully made her way through the undergrowth, a slight smile on her face. She had done it. Hopefully, Sukai didn't see her… 

Out of nowhere a hand roughly grabbed Usagi by the neck and pulled her back. "Usagi you b-----d!" Oh crud, she was caught.

Sukai slammed the defenseless girl against the tree, a murderous gleam in her pale eyes. The healer made no move to defend herself. "Why the hell did you help them for? Huh? Answer me!"

Usagi gently touched her partner's hands. "Let go of me, Sukai." She whispered. "I don't want to hurt you."

With a furious growl, Sukai tossed Usagi to the ground. "You thought you could sneak past me, didn't you? Help them out while I wasn't looking, huh?"

Usagi sat up; the scrapes on her arm were already healing themselves. "I-I had to." Her voice wavered. Was it from fear? Maybe it was. She could see the demon's chakra manifesting itself around her friend, clinging to her body like a leech. "Calm down, Sukai…don't let it take over you. Y-you remember what happened last time when y-you let it loose, right?"

The question seemed to calm Sukai down, but the anger was still there. The glowing, red chakra faded away. "Whose side are you on?" She demanded. "Can I even freaking trust you anymore Usagi?"

"I-I'm a healer." Usagi whispered her reply. "What do you e-expect of me?"

* * *

"_I said no, un." Deidara grumbled. He released a clay fish and let it swim in the water before detonating it. The droplets of water fell upon the thirsty sand. The dark patches disappeared in less than a second._

"_You have no idea how lucky you are." The man argued. Deidara examined him with little interest. When will those Akatsuki members give up? "The Leader has offered you a free entry to the Akatsuki. It would be unwise to turn it down…"_

"_Well, I did." Deidara tossed another clay fish into the pond. "No is no, un. If another one of your members come here again, I'll have to drive them off. Don't ask me again. Tell your leader that, un."_

_The man glared at Deidara before taking his leave. Deidara watched him as he melted back into the night…hopefully this will be the last he will see of the Akatsuki…

* * *

_

Usagi sat in the corner of the room, battered by the arguments flying across the room. So much noise and tension…

Their leader, Hiroshima, was trying to calm the storm down. His normally calm black eyes were stressed from trying to keep the peace. His tri-corn hat, which was usually worn as neatly as possible, was titled to one side. "Enough!" Hiroshima ordered. "We can't have bickering around here! We need to work together-"

"Forget it!" Sukai shouted. "Usagi is a god-damned traitor and I saw her helping the enemy!"

"She's a healer!" Yakitori entered the fray. "You know how she acts. She can't just watch someone dying and leave them alone…"

The squabbling went on and on while Usagi retreated further and further into her corner. Why did all her actions have to cause uproar?

"Silence!" Satoro, Hiroshima's right hand man had enough of the racket. He stood tall and imposing, his red eyes gleaming dangerously in the firelight. His long, brown hair settled around him like a lion's mane, adding to his impressive appearance. Reluctantly the noise ceased, a few more insults were shot around before silence fell upon them again. Satoro nodded to Hiroshima to say what he wanted to say.

"Sukai, look at it this way," Hiroshima started. "The Akatsuki is not of our concern. In fact, I don't know why I assigned you the mission in the first place. You can't blame Usagi for her actions. You already know how she acts like Yakitori says." Everyone, excluding Usagi and Sukai, agreed with mumbles. "I want you to stay clear of the Akatsuki for now, got it Sukai?"

"They're coming for me, idiot!" Sukai roared. "I can't just sit around here doing nothing!"

"Sukai, calm down!" Satoro snapped.

"Why should I?" Sukai raved on. Her true nature was showing, blooming into something horrible and evil. "I can't believe you'd be content to just sit around here and do nothing at all!"

"Sukai, calm…down." Satoro's voice was deadly calm. "Enough is enough. We go with what Hiroshima says."

Sukai finally shut up, her pale eyes cracked, revealing hidden emotions. Hiroshima continued on as if nothing had happened. "I'll kill that b------ one day." She growled.

Usagi ran off to the safety of her room.

End of Part 3

* * *

**Sorry for the short chapter…my muse is sort of dead right now. I'll promise that it'll get better!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: …Me…no…own…Naruto…  
****Notes: Forgive me for making any errors of the Japanese honorific titles.  
****Merrawolf**

* * *

Why the heck did it have to rain?

Deidara scowled as he flew through the storm, already soaked from head to toe despite the large hat he wore. Tobi was experiencing the same discomfort but said nothing about it. Lightning ripped through the sky, followed a second later by booming thunder. Both Akatsuki members knew that they would have to find shelter soon. If they stayed out for too long, they could end up fried by some stray bolt of lightning.

The blonde ninja scanned the area below, searching for some refuge from the storm. Lightning flashed through the black sky again and again and the crashing thunder echoed in their ears. There! At last Deidara spotted a small inn, located just on the side of a cliff. It seemed safe enough. Deidara steered the clay bird toward the building, urging the bird to speed up. They had just landed outside the inn's door when a blinding flash struck the earth behind them. A scorching smell filled the air. Deidara didn't even glance back. As they entered the inn, Tobi sneaked a look back. A huge, seared piece of land lay out behind him, the dead, dry plants slowly sinking into the mud. He could see the dead carcass of an unfortunate crow that was caught in the bolt. The claw slightly twitched and the eyelid fluttered slightly, as though it was trying to blink. Tobi hurried inside.

"Well Tobi," Deidara sat on the soft bed, his clothes still dripping wet. "We'll have to put off our search for tomorrow, un."

Tobi was a bit disappointed. "Deidara-sempai…never mind…" Something bugged him…was it that Deidara was actually glad that they were postponing the search?

Deidara only raised his eyebrows at Tobi's strange response. "Well then, Tobi, you must be tired. Would you like me to order some dinner, un?"

Tobi's stomach growled embarrassingly loud at the suggestion. "Sure, Deidara-sempai," Tobi's voice was less hyper than usual. "I guess-"

"Good." Deidara took out his purse and counted the yen. "What would you like? Udon? Teriyaki?"

Tobi shrugged. "I'm not sure Deidara-sempai."

Deidara gave Tobi a suspicious look. "Are you all right, Tobi un?

"I'm fine Deidara-sempai."

Thankfully the blonde asked no more questions. He left the room, obviously to get their dinner. Tobi snuggled underneath the bed's warm covers and let his mind wander with strange daydreams and thoughts…

* * *

_Damn…the pain…_

_Deidara felt the blade of the sword drive itself deeper into his gut. Itachi was impassive, his face cleared of all emotion. "Have you changed your mind, Deidara-kun?"_

_He hated this Genjutsu…those red eyes… Deidara did not reply, his eyes burning with pure hate. He will not show any signs of weakness to this man!_

_The sword was stabbed deeper. Deidara clenched his teeth from screaming out. Itachi seemed unimpressed. "I am surprised, Deidara-kun. Most ninjas by now would give up." The blood-stained, metal blade drove in deeper. It took the former Iwakagure ninja all his strength to hold in the scream that was bursting to get out. "I will ask you again: Will you join the Akatsuki?"_

_Deidara slowly spoke through the haze of pain. "No."_

_Itachi picked up another sword and stabbed it into Deidara's stomach. _

_A terrible, long screech of agony echoed through the red landscape…_

* * *

"Deidara-sempai!"

Deidara almost dropped the plates he was holding, which were loaded with hot food, at the sound of Tobi's voice. "What is it, Tobi, un?" He rushed into the room and promptly crashed into his partner. The food spilled all over the floor and the soup stained his already wet clothes.

"Deidara-sempai, it's horrible!" Tobi wailed, clinging onto Deidara's sleeve.

"Let go! What's horrible?"

"I saw a crow and…and…it made eye contact with me!"

Deidara swore loudly for a few seconds. "Tobi, you ruined our dinner just to tell me some superstitious junk?!"

"But it's an omen, Deidara-sempai! Something bad is going to happen!" Tobi continued his rant.

"Wait, un." Deidara sighed. "How can a crow be outside in this storm, Tobi? Use your logic: crows don't fly out at night or during storms."

His carefree partner thought for a moment at his statement. "B-but I saw it, Deidara-sempai! I really did!"

"It was just your imagination. Why don't you go get dinner? I'll clean this mess up, un."

Tobi glanced nervously at the window. For a second he thought he saw the flutter of wings. But Deidara-sempai was right…right? After all, birds don't fly out in the night… "Yes Deidara-sempai."

* * *

The innkeeper was not a pleasant sight to see. He was old, bent, and wrinkled looking and his parchment voice grated against Tobi's ears as he entered the kitchen.

"Eh? You want another dinner?" The innkeeper grumpily answered after Tobi requested for another dinner plate. For such an old man he moved surprisingly quick. In an instant he had his meat cleaver under Tobi's chin. "What'd you do to the ones I gave your friend? Never mind!" He withdrew the gleaming blade and rubbed his grubby hands against his equally dirty apron. "I'll get to work on it then, it should be ready in a minute! Out!"

Tobi nervously said thank you and left the kitchen. True to the innkeeper's word, the food did not take long to arrive. "Thank you," Tobi mumbled as he accepted the two plates.

"Don't drop 'em now, you hear me? If you come back here one more time I'll give your a-- a good swift kick!"

Tobi hurried back to their room.

* * *

Morning came much too quickly for Deidara. He wanted to stay in this inn, ignore his mission. Heck, maybe he could even go back and said that the Jinchuriki had killed herself.

Of course, it was a stupid plan. The Leader would see through it and probably kill him…literally. He hated his life…

"Deidara-sempai!" Tobi's muffled voice came through the screen door. "Are you ready yet?"

"Wha-? What do you mean by that?"

"It's eleven 'o' clock, Deidara-sempai!"

Deidara instantly jumped out of his bed…and tumbled onto the floor. He quickly jumped back on his feet and grumpily answered, "I'll be out in a second, un!"

It took Deidara an hour or so to come out of the inn. Tobi was standing near the gate and seemed rather happy to see his partner. "You're ready, Deidara-sempai? Let's go then!" Deidara mumbled something under his breath. "Did you say something, Deidara-sempai?"

"No, I said nothing at all, un!" Deidara snapped. He was in bad humor and didn't want to hear Tobi's annoying chatter. "Let's just go, Tobi."

Tobi clammed up, sensing that his partner was at the peak of emotional distress. The two continued their search without another word.

* * *

"_Where are you going?"_

_Deidara reluctantly turned to face Hiroshima. He thought that leaving at night would prevent any…run-ins with his team members. "I'm leaving, Hiroshima, un."_

_Hiroshima slightly chuckled. "I already knew that, Deidara. What I want to know is where you're going."_

_The soft night wind whispered in the empty, starless sky. Deidara scowled. "I'm going to join Akatsuki. Don't tell Sukai that."_

"_I knew it." Hiroshima shook his head. "Let me guess…is this against your will?" Deidara didn't answer. Hiroshima took it as a yes. The leader continued on. "I suppose…Deidara, this will be the last time we'll see each other, correct?"_

_Deidara averted his gaze to the road ahead of him. "I guess, un." It sometimes amazed him that his friend knew so much from so little words…_

_Hiroshima nodded. "Then…this is good-bye…for good, Deidara." The blonde glanced at him. Wasn't he going to try to stop him? Hiroshima noticed his look. "I can't stop you: you know that Deidara. It'll be the death of you. Besides," he added. "You'll probably have more of a future with them then being here. Go on! I'll just make up some story to cover up your absence."_

_Deidara stared down at his shoes. "Hiroshima…good-bye."_

_Hiroshima wryly smiled. "Have a safe journey…Deidara-kun."_

* * *

"Hiroshima said no!"

"Well I said yes!"

"He'll kill us if he finds out…"

Sukai shot Yakitori an impatient look. "Shut up, twerp! What can that son of a b---- do to us?"

The little boy stood his ground. "It's not that! It's a matter of principles! I'm not going to help you!"

Sukai spat her answer out like venom. "You're…coming…with…me!" The red chakra began to surround her again, pulsating, writhing like a living thing. Yakitori stepped back. Before he could respond, Sukai snatched the boy up and gagged him. Yakitori kicked as hard as he could though it was pointless.

Sukai dumped him onto the cloud and flew off with her prisoner. As the cloud effortlessly sailed through the air, her mind whirred with her dark plan. She was going to kill Deidara, even if it was the last thing she'll do…

* * *

End of Part 4 


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: Blah yadda blah yadda blah…I don't own Naruto…blah yadda yadda…  
****Merrawolf**

* * *

Hiroshima had walked all the way to a nearby cliff, away from the others. The leader sighed as he watched the golden sunset on the horizon. Their team was breaking apart, all because of the stressing events. It was hard enough to lead them, but to keep them from fighting one another… heck, Hiroshima wished he could have a vacation. 

It doesn't work that way though. Being a leader was tough. Hiroshima wandered back to Sukai. What was wrong with her? She had been exploding more and more often at the slightest annoyances. What if…what if the demon in her was slowly taking hold of her again? Now that would be perfect. On top of keeping the organization together, he'll have to deal with an eight-tailed demon. Just great.

"Hiroshima?"

He jumped at the sound of Satoro's grave voice. Hiroshima faced his second-in-command, and slowly asked, "What is it?"

"I suppose you know about the Akatsuki members…"

"Of course I do. Get on with it, Satoro, what is it?" Hiroshima sighed. "I have enough troubles."

"One of the members…is Deidara."

Hiroshima stiffened. "Deidara-kun? He's come back?"

Satoro gave a rigid nod. "From the information I've gathered, yes. And…Sukai is gone…along with Yakitori…"

"What?!" Hiroshima began to pace, a tendency he had when he was stressed. "Oh s----! Satoro, we have to find Deidara-kun fast, before Sukai finds him first."

The second-in-command calmly watched as his leader paced fretfully back and forth. "There is no need to worry, Hiroshima. We know where he is. Keiji's crow spies have confirmed that they are in that small inn near the cliff."

"Then let's hurry over there!" Hiroshima snapped. "We have no time to spare!"

"I suppose you are referring to you and me?" Satoro wryly asked.

"Of course I am, Satoro! Just…oh, just go! I'll catch up with you later!" Hiroshima took a deep breath, trying to calm his nerves.

Satoro slightly bowed and silently dissolved into the shadows.

* * *

"_Who's this?" Deidara avoided eye contact with Itachi who was showing him around the Akatsuki base. The person Deidara was referring to was strange-looking. His Akatsuki cloak hid most of his body and his strange, cold eyes watched Deidara with keen interest._

"_That is Sasori-sama." Itachi nodded toward the puppeteer. "Sasori-sama, Deidara-kun." Sasori only replied with a nod. "As the Leader mentioned, you two will be partners." Without another word, Itachi left._

_Deidara visibly relaxed once Itachi left. Sasori studied his new partner, his eyes peeling him apart, trying to figure out his deepest and darkest secrets._

_Silence enveloped the two, filling the air thick with tension._

_Deidara absent-mindedly made a clay bird and let it flutter about. Sasori watched it with keen interest. Suddenly, Deidara detonated it and Sasori shot him a dirty look. "What was that? As an artist, I'll say that it's a waste of art. Art is supposed to be eternity…"_

_Deidara faced him in annoyance. "What do you mean, un? I agree with your opinion as a fellow artist, but art is the beauty of the moment."_

_Sasori snorted. "It is not."_

_Silence cloaked them again. Deidara glanced at Sasori, secretly admiring his partner. Maybe this organization wasn't all that bad…_

* * *

Deidara entered their room in the inn, dead tired. They had spent the entire day trying in vain to search for Sukai. No such luck for them. The blonde gently parted the barf-colored curtains to reveal a brilliant sunset. How beautiful… 

"Deidara-sempai!" The peace was shattered as Tobi came running in. "I think we should move to another inn!"

Deidara glared at his partner. "What do you mean? The other inns are too far away, un!"

"The innkeeper! He hates me!" Tobi complained. "When I went to get dinner, he snapped at me and threatened me with his butcher knife!"

"What did you-"

"Tobi didn't do anything, Deidara-sempai! Honest!"

Deidara zoned out on Tobi as he continued his rant. He was exhausted and had no mental energy left to deal with Tobi's annoying problems…

"Deidara-sempai! Are you listening to me?!" Tobi shouted in Deidara's ear.

"What the heck Tobi, un?" Deidara jumped back in surprise. Damn, why did Tobi have to be so bothersome at this time? Couldn't he see that he was tired?

"Sorry Deidara-sempai…did Tobi get your attention?" His partner hopefully suggested, trying to appease the angry Deidara.

"Yes, you got my attention un. But you didn't need to…" Deidara motioned for Tobi to come closer. Tobi obediently did. "Shout!" Deidara roared in his ear. Tobi yelped in pain and scooted away. Without another word, Deidara stomped off to his bed. All he wanted to do was sleep…

* * *

Yakitori woke up to a huge slap on his face. The little boy bit back a cry of pain as he remembered where he was. Sukai had kidnapped him, hasn't she? What was that crazy girl's plan anyway? What did she want with him? 

"I'm glad you're awake." Sukai bitterly remarked. She took off his gag and continued. "Now be a good boy and help me out, hmm?"

"You're crazy, Sukai!" Yakitori protested. "I'm not going to help you with anything!"

"You are." Sukai ran her fingers down his neck. Yakitori shivered at the dangerous caress. "I won't take no as an answer." The fingers tightened, the fingernails dug into the fragile flesh. Suddenly she pulled away. A thin, red cut appeared on Yakitori's neck.

That chakra…it was manifesting itself again. Yakitori felt dread deep in his gut. All hell was going to break loose if that demon completely possesses her once more…perhaps it was too late…in that case… "I-I'll help." Yakitori stammered. Sukai snickered.

"I knew you would say that."

* * *

She was here.

Tobi woke up in the middle of the night as he felt a massive chakra disturb the air. That girl…what was her name? Ah yes, Sukai, was outside, right on their doorstep. He stealthily climbed out of bed and crept down the hallway, his senses alert. He had to be careful with her. His mind flashed back to what Deidara had said when they first encountered Sukai:

"_Tobi, did you hear me?" Deidara demanded. "We have to get them off our trail as fast as we can, then strike. Whatever you do, don't look into her mirror! Understand, Tobi, un?"_

"_Yes, Deidara-sempai." Tobi nodded._

Her mirror…from what Tobi could figure out, that mirror was her main weapon. It also required the victim to make eye-contact with the mirror…how interesting…A hand clamped on Tobi's shoulder. Tobi leaped back and faced his unknown enemy. "Who are you? Show yourself!"

"Calm down, Tobi, un. It's only me." Deidara came out of the shadows, his metallic eye gleaming in the dim light. "Are you ready?" Tobi nodded. Deidara briskly walked down the hallway, his eyes full of determination. "Let's go then."

* * *

Damn it! He was late! Satoro watched from the trees in bitter frustration. He had to give credit for Sukai for being fast though. Hiroshima was next to him, his coal black eyes troubled. 

"The demon," Hiroshima closed his eyes. "Why couldn't we see it before?"

Satoro glanced at him. "What do you mean?"

"Heh," Hiroshima opened his eyes again and tilted his tri-corn hat more upright. "Naisei is the only one standing there."

Satoro looked at his leader in disbelief. "You are joking."

"You think I am? I don't have time to make up stories, Satoro. Sukai died a long time ago. The only thing that moves her body is the demon. It slowly leeched her soul out until it had full possession of her. You remember that incident…when Naisei broke free. That was when Sukai was killed." Hiroshima fell silent. The two Akatsuki members had walked out of the inn, obviously planning to challenge Sukai. "What the heck are they doing?"

* * *

What the heck was he doing out here?

Deidara ignored the question and stuffed his hand into bag of clay, ready to fight his sister. The wind moaned as it rustled the tree's branches. Sukai stepped out of the forest. Yakitori was standing next to her. His eyes were blank. The little boy was hypnotized.

"Well, Deidara-sama," Sukai jeered. "I see you've finally gotten the courage to face me, hmm?" In her hands was the strange mirror, its glass reflecting nothing.

Deidara disregarded her comment. "Tobi, let's do our best, un?"

Tobi nodded in agreement and readied himself into a fighting stance, waiting for his opponent's move.

Sukai laughed a horrible malicious sound that echoed all the evil things in the world. "This should be interesting, Deidara-sama! Shall we begin?"

"Don't play games with me." Deidara swiftly molded his clay. "This will end, Sukai…now."

His sister glared at him before snapping her fingers once. Yakitori suddenly dashed forward, a chakra made kunai in his hand.

Blood splattered across the scorched ground…

* * *

End of Part 5


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.**

**Note: I'm sorry for the slow pace I'm updating this story. But please, keep in mind that I am typing a new chapter everyday. I don't have a rough draft to edit so I need to improvise as I go along. Thank you for understanding and for all the reviews!**

**Merrawolf**

* * *

"_I don't care what you say!" Sukai shoved the letter back to Hiroshima, her eyes brimming with tears. "He crossed us and all he does is write a letter?!"_

"_It's not like that, Sukai." Hiroshima wearily shook his head. "You don't understand. He never wanted to-"_

"_Then tell me!" She stormed right up to him, her tears flowing unchecked. "Tell me why he didn't die sticking to his beliefs instead of being weak a-"_

"_Don't," Hiroshima's voice suddenly rose, startling Sukai. He angrily threw a kunai at Sukai. The metal blade grazed her head and hit the tree behind her. "Don't ever call Deidara-kun 'weak'!" Sukai stood her ground, though she was startled by her leader's outburst. He had never threatened to use force against one of his friends or allies, no matter how much they got on his nerves or bruised his feelings. Instantly, Hiroshima seemed to have realized his mistake. All color drained out of his face as he muttered, "I'm sorry. I-I didn't mean to…" He left the sentence unsaid and quickly walked past her, his tri-corn hat tilted just so it would cover his face._

_As Hiroshima passed Deidara's hiding place, Deidara gently grabbed Hiroshima on the arm. "Hiroshima…how did it go, un?"_

_His former leader kept his eyes on the floor, his hands trembling slightly. "Deidara…I'm sorry but…just don't come back again…please…just don't…" Without another word, Hiroshima shook off Deidara's grip and sunk into the shadows, leaving a confused Deidara._

* * *

Tobi had easily dodged Yakitori's attack and had counter-attacked by stabbing the boy in the stomach. Silence fell as scarlet blood splattered the ground; the very earth seemed to hold its breath. The hush was broken as the boy burst into smoke. It had been a clone. 

The real Yakitori leapt out from the trees and threw several shurikens at Tobi's way. Tobi managed to dodge the metal stars, his mind trying to figure out what the boy's strategy was. Whatever it was, he'll have to kill or knock him out of the battle so he could help Deidara-sempai. Judging from the first few moves Yakitori had made, this should be an easy battle…

Tobi smiled under his mask as watched Yakitori dash forward. This shouldn't take long at all…Tobi's hands were lightning fast as they formed the hand seals. "_Ryuuko no Jutsu! _Dragon Leaf no Jutsu!" The leaves on the ground suddenly whirled to life, forming themselves into a serpentine creature made of leaves. Within seconds, a small 'leaf dragon' was created and tackled Tobi's opponent, its leafy maw open as it attacked. As the leaves made impact, they instantly scattered, slicing at Yakitori's skin. Tobi didn't waste a single minute. He had to finish his foe off quick. "_Doton: Iwa Danmaku! _Earth Element: Rock Barrage!" Huge chunks of stone flew out from the cliff side and threw themselves at Yakitori at an incredible speed. A huge dust cloud settled around the area, clouding Tobi's view. Tobi was alert, trying to peer through the dust to see if his opponent had fallen. At last, when the dust cleared, Tobi got a real shock: Yakitori was still standing. He was bleeding from several minor cuts, although the Dragon Leaf Jutsu should have caused major cuts. A chakra shield surrounded him, its dull, blue glow pulsating softly in the dark. Tobi's heart sank. This was going to take longer than he thought…

* * *

While Tobi was busy facing Yakitori, Deidara was preparing for battle against his sister. He stood there, his eyes cleared of all inner turmoil. Sukai gave a harsh laugh. "We both know how this is going to end, Deidara-sama. I know all your tricks: there is no way you can win."

It was Deidara's turn to laugh. "Is that what you think, un? My art has improved since I've been gone." He suddenly transformed his tiny sculpture into a huge clay bird which he jumped onto. The artist took to the air, almost taunting Sukai to follow.

She summoned her cloud and raced after him, her eyes full of deadly intent. Deidara grimly smiled. This was it: win…or die. He intended to win at all costs, even if it meant killing his own sister.

"You have better put up a good fight, Deidara-sama." Sukai voice was soft, holding no hatred. Deidara blinked in confusion. "I don't intend to go easy on you." Was she actually…warning him from fighting her?

"Do you think I'm going to back out, un?" Deidara opened his palm. Out flew a miniature storm of clay birds, blocking out the sky. "You've got it wrong. _Katsu!_"

* * *

Yakitori smiled at Tobi's astonishment. "Surprised, Akatsuki? You thought that this would end quickly? You're wrong." The chakra shield dissipated with a wave of his arm. Yakitori struck the earth with an open palm. Tobi braced himself for an attack. What happened next was entirely unexpected. The ground heaved under his feet, almost knocking Tobi off balance. The trees groaned as they pulled up their roots, coming to life. What was this? Genjutsu? No, Tobi could see the intense chakra being injected into the objects, allowing the little boy to control the originally inanimate objects.

Out from the ground, roots suddenly burst out from the ground and entwined themselves around Tobi's feet and arms, preventing him from moving. Although Tobi struggled mightily, it was to no avail. He was stuck. Yakitori moved a single finger and the earth reared up to engulf the helpless Akatsuki member. The trees hurried forward, their suddenly razor sharp branches, reaching to slice Tobi to pieces. It looked bad…

* * *

Deidara flew faster, higher. He had to get Sukai away from this place before he started the real attacks. Deidara glanced back to make sure that she was following him. Good, she was keeping up. As he expected, the explosions he set off did not harm her.

He could see the impatience on Sukai's face, the anger etched in her eyes, even from the distance. Deidara coolly began to mold yet another sculpture. If his plan succeeded, then this battle would be very short…hopefully before the feelings rose up again…

At the sound of the ground crackling, Deidara looked down. Tobi! Crud, he was about to be smothered by tons of earth…Deidara felt an urge to turn back and help his teammate. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. No. There was no turning back now. Sukai was his enemy; the only thing that existed was the battle. Nothing else. He didn't have time to worry about his friend…

A huge beam of light shot past him, almost knocking him off his bird. Damn, it was much too close. Deidara turned around to see Sukai's mirror glowing bright silver, steam rising off its glassy surface. "Well, Deidara-sama, aren't you going to fight back?" Sukai calmly asked.

Deidara responded with another storm of clay birds. They surrounded her, pecking at her skin. The mirror glowed even more brightly and the clay was destroyed by some strange heat. The blonde urged his mount faster. If he fought her brashly one-on-one, chances were in her favor. This was the only way. They were almost there…just a few more minutes…

* * *

"You're crazy, Hiroshima." Satoro firmly held his leader by his arm.

"Tell me about it." Hiroshima shook Satoro's grip off. "You should already know, Satoro."

"This is absolute madness though!" The second-in-command argued. "Are you serious that you are going to go out there and…"

"Help them? Yes. Don't argue with me. I owe Deidara-kun." Hiroshima leaped forward, his body already shifting into another form. Satoro sighed.

"He's so brash sometimes." Satoro grumbled and followed his leader.

* * *

Tobi watched as the advancing earth tidal wave rushed toward him, ready to drown him. Tobi flexed his muscles and pulled harder at the roots. He felt a slight weakening in its grip. Harder! He yanked harder, trying to escape its grip. Crud, Tobi wasn't going to die here, not while Deidara-sempai needed him!

Suddenly, a huge, black scorpion charged out of the trees and snapped its huge pincers at Yakitori. The little boy was forced to dodge and his concentration was broken. The roots fell away and the earth collapsed back onto the ground, inches away from Tobi.

The Akatsuki member jumped back, just in case the scorpion decided to turn on him. The scorpion turned to face Tobi, its poisonous tail twitching. Tobi scooted back and took out another kunai, ready to fend off the scorpion as well as Yakitori if needed. The scorpion seemed to be…amused at his reaction. "Afraid?" The scorpion's hard shell melted into a dark trench coat and, in seconds, a man stood where the giant insect had been. "You shouldn't be. Satoro! Go find Deidara-kun! I'll stay and help this one here."

Tobi saw, out of the corner of his eye, a shadow jump through the trees. "Who are you?" Tobi demanded.

The man straightened his tri-corn hat. "That doesn't matter now…move!"

Yakitori had recovered from the surprise blow and sent, this time, massive boulders from the cliff straight at the two. Tobi easily dodged the giant rocks as did the mysterious new visitor. Tobi finally pieced together Yakitori's strategy. He had this strange power to inject chakra into any inanimate object and control it. However, he must stand still…

So he was a long-range fighter, like Deidara-kun. If Tobi got close to him, then he could easily defeat him. The man seemed to hear Tobi's thoughts. "We'll take him on both sides. I'll distract him and you'll do the honors of finishing him off…"

Tobi studied the man, trying to figure out if he could trust him or not, still, if he knew Deidara-sempai and wanted to help him… "Got it," Tobi muttered. Yakitori coldly smiled and raised his hands. The boulders suddenly slammed into one another around Yakitori, forming a huge, rock armor. No, it wasn't an armor… "Damn!" Tobi swore. Standing high above them, with glowering red eyes, was a huge golem-like creature. This was going to take much, much longer than he thought… "Deidara-sempai, wait for me!" Tobi whispered. The two charged forward as the golem let out an ear-splitting screech of hatred…

* * *

End of Part 6


End file.
